How even the great beauties had to overcome flaws to make it on the catwalk

SUPERMODELS are hailed as the image of female beauty but many catwalk queens have flaws which could have stopped them in their tracks.

Some of our most beautiful faces have even been told that they would need plastic surgery if they were ever to succeed in modelling.

The face of Marks & Spencer, Erin O'Connor, has revealed that she was told to get a nose job and her breasts done so she looked more conventionally attractive and more bookable as a model.

Erin, who has been described by designer Karl Lagerfield as the "anti-beauty" on account of her angular features, said: "In the early days of my modelling career, I think the industry was uncomfortable with how strikingly different I was.

"For example, I was told to have a nose job and get my breasts done.

"But I suddenly got very stubborn and thought, 'Well, no, this is me', and suddenly, I was being hailed as 'a new form of beauty'.

"So I was able to advance my personality just by being the person I was to the outside world - 6ft tall and authoritative."

Here, we take a look at some more of the world's top beauties whose flaws and blemishes almost got in the way of their fashion careers.

CINDY CRAWFORD

One of supermodel Cindy Crawford's most distinguishing features is her beauty spot, or mole, above the left side of her top lip.

The flaw enhances, rather than detracts, from the American's beauty, yet the former beauty queen has admitted that she was uncomfortable with the blemish in her younger years and considered having it removed.

She said: "Everyone teased me about it and I wanted to remove it. I often tell young women that my shortcoming became my trademark and I encourage them to love everything about themselves - even parts which are not perfect."

TYRA BANKS

America's Next Top Model founder Tyra Banks has curves in all the right places but when she started out in modelling, her C-cup bust was more of a hindrance than a help.

She said: "When I was a fashion model - this was like 15 years ago - certain designers would bind my breasts down with bandages.

"I didn't fit the clothes. They made clothes that were a certain size and didn't fit my chest."

Tyra has said that she briefly toyed with cosmetic surgery but thought better of it when she realised she could be scarred for life.

She added: "That's something I've thought about. I look at young women wearing their tank tops in the mall and they don't have to wear a bra and that's fabulous.

"I look at that, but I don't want to do it if it would leave scars."

KATE MOSS

To many, Kate Moss is the epitome of perfection, yet the model doesn't agree.

She admits to yearning for bigger boobs as a teenager and to having bow-legs and crooked teeth, all of which could have proven a barrier to her modelling career.

But the now-iconic model refused to change anything about herself, refusing a boob job, she says, because she had known too many friends to have bad experiences under the knife. Now, though, she says she is glad that she decided to stick with her flat chest, saying that after posing topless so often: "You're not conscious about your flaws, bow-legs or crooked teeth."

MOLLY SIMS

Model-turned actress Molly Sims is famous for her appearances in Sports Illustrated Magazine and her role as Delinda Deline in drama Las Vegas.

She has also done campaigns for Chanel and Old Navy and has made a string of movies, including The Benchwarmers and Starsky & Hutch.

But when the gorgeous 36-year-old first started out in modelling she was told she would never make it because she was overweight.

Hard to believe that the former competitive swimmer - with curves to die for - could ever have been considered anything other than simply healthy.

Now, she's had the last laugh.

SOPHIE DAHL

Being 6ft and a size 14 didn't stop Sophie Dahl making it.

As well as gracing the catwalks around the globe, the granddaughter of children's author Roald Dahl is a writer and columnist.

When she was discoverd in 1996 by Vogue stylist Isabella Blow, she was credited with bringing curves back into Nineties fashion - but she did have her critics among the fashionistas.

She said: "When I began modelling, I was completely unprepared for the onslaught of curiousity it carried with it.

Big women from all over the world wrote me congratulatory letters." She has appeared in all the glossies and caused a stir by appearing nude in an ad for Opium perfume.

These days, the 32-year-old is engaged to singer and pianist Jamie Cullum.

GISELE BUNDCHEN

Brazilian model Gisele Bundchen is the world's highest-paid model and is also the 16th richest woman in showbusiness.

Yet, as a young model magazine editors said she would never make it big because of her "ill-proportioned facial features".

She was told: "You have a small face, but a big nose."

She dated film hunk Leonardo Di Caprio.

CLAUDIA SCHIFFER

German supermodel Claudia Schiffer might have been spotted by a model scout when she was 15, but many industry insiders who saw her first shoot with photographer Marie-Francoise Prybys thought there was no way the teen would ever make it.

Her then agent Aline Soulers remembers: "People thought she looked babyish, too chubby. They'd say, 'She'll never be more than a catalogue queen'."

Since then, Claudia has modelled for Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Ralph Lauren and Valentino.

UMA THURMAN

Kill Bill star Uma Thurman is not the most classically beautiful actress in Hollywood, but she has sex appeal.

She can look utterly stunning in photographs and on the big screen.

Yet, as a child the star was forever being teased about her looks, gangly frame and height.

Thankfully Uma didn't let the taunts get to her and by the time she was 17 she was on the front cover of Rolling Stone.

ANGELINA JOLIE

Angelina Jolie now regularly tops polls of the sexiest and most beautiful women in the world. Men lust after her and women are jealous of her striking looks and full curves. She is married to actor Brad Pitt.

Yet, when Angelina was still at high school and trying to make a name for herself as a model, her self-confidence took a massive knock when she was repeatedly turned down for work because her eyes and her lips were too large.

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